Come and Get Your Love!

 I'm an old Marvel Comics fan. I basically fell in love with reading as a seven year old immersing myself in the likes of Spiderman, Captain America, the Hulk, and the Avengers. Over the last 10-20 years, Marvel starting turning those comics into movies and that has afforded me the opportunity to revert back to those childhood memories that Stan Lee and all of his colleagues created for followers of Spidey and so many other Marvel comic characters. One of those movies "Guardians of the Galaxy" features a ragtag collection of misfit heroes destined to save the world from evil forces. In the original feature film named the same, the main character struts around on a distant planet, dancing to a tune on his Sony Walkman cassette tape player. The song on his Walkman was a oldie but goldie from the 70's ""Come and Get Your Love" by a Native American group called Redbone. I always liked that song, but ever since I saw it in that movie, it seems like I have heard it more frequently on the radio over the past few years. Regardless of the reference to this old R&B song in the Marvel movie production and not due to the overall intent of the song's origin, I recently found a message tucked deep into the song's lyrics that makes this song even more finger snapping and toe tapping when it comes across the airwaves and livestreams! For me today's message is clear; don't limit God's availability, He is everywhere and in everything and if God wants to share a thought with you it can come from anywhere. Even an old rock and roll song from the past!

As alluded to above, we shouldn't limit the ways and places that God can share a word of encouragement, inspiration, or guidance and instruction. Moses received a message from God through a burning bush (Exodus 3:1-6), and God whispered to Elijah in the midst of a storm while he was hiding in a cave (I Kings 19:11-13). To magnify the understanding that God is with us even in our struggles, it is noteworthy to point out that Saul encountered God on the road to Damascus where he was blinded and eventually converted his life to that of a devoted follower of Christ and the Apostle we now as Paul. God can and does meet us anywhere He wants to, the problem is many times we aren't looking for or listening for God's message to us. 

 I had heard the classic tune "Come and Get Your Love" dozens or even tens of dozens of times over the years, but I certainly didn't ever equate that song with an inspirational song or hymn. Why, I doubt seriously that anyone has ever listened to that song and felt compelled to raise your hands in the air in worship to our Lord and Savior. That isn't what I'm saying at all. For me, that particular song has a good head bobbing rhythm and a melodic lyrical composition that just makes me feel good when I hear it. God's reminder to me comes through the title of the song and the line that is repeated over and over again throughout the song. Come and get your love! Come and get your love! God's love is always available and it is always present, all we have to do is reach out and accept it! 

In my walk of faith, I strive to have a deeper, closer relationship with God. I want to hear His guidance as he reveals my daily purpose and calling, so I have made a commitment to meet with God early in the morning before the distractions of the day gobble up much of my attention. It is during that quiet time that I receive God's instructions and that is where He speaks to the concerns I share with Him. Over the years, I have deepened my relationship and now I wouldn't want to go into a day without first sharing my morning with God. If you don't have a morning meeting time set with God, there is no better time than right now to do just that. But... don't think that in the still of the morning is the only place that God will speak to you. "Come and Get Your Love" did just that for me. 

"Come, taste and see that the Lord is good." Psalm 34:8, "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden" Matthew 11:28, and in Romans 12:2 we are directed to "... not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." Even in the midst of the busyness of the day, God wants us to seek Him and His will for this life He has given us to live. The last time I heard the song "Come and Get Your Love" on the radio I didn't hear any other words in the song, except God's invitation to come unto Him and accept His love. "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near." Isaiah 55:6. The good news is God is always near and He can always be found whatever is going on in your life or wherever we are at that particular moment. Come and get your love, God is ready to share His love abundantly and without limit today! His message was clear that day as I listened to this song in a completely different way, and it is the same message that is available to you and me today, "Come and get you love!"

Coach Carter